Red Rooster Overtown — Restaurant in Miami

Flavor is the word of the day eating here There was a group of seven of us eating here over Labor Day weekend and I was soo happy we went here. It was suggested by some friends of a friend and it didn't disappoint.

This restaurant is owned by celebrity chef/restauranteer Marcus Samuelsson and he was at the restaurant that day and he stopped to take a quick selfie with me. He was very gracious and you can tell he was attentive to what was going on in his restaurant. Very cool encounter.

Back to the food. We tried a lot of different things since we were visting from out of town. From the small plates we got the Marcus' Cornbread and the Chicken-Fried" Green Tomatoes. The cornbread was delicious and came with this sweet and spicy jalapeno butter that made it taste heavenly. The Chicken-Fried green tomatoes was prepared different than any fried green tomatoes I've ever had, but it was also very good. It has this green chutney (i think) on the plate that when sopped up with the tomatoes was as tasty as it comes.

From the "To Share" menu we got multiple Fire Roasted Wagyu Oxtail and the Smoked Rooster Royale. I really want to try the Oxtails. it was I get whenever I go to a new soul food spot. The Wagyu Oxtail is next level. I've never had oxtail prepared like this or seen them this large. That brazing liquid they cook the oxtail in is next level I tell you. They need to bottle up that Oxtail Au Ju and sell it, it's soo good. Without a doubt to me, the oxtail was the most flavorful food we ate at the Red Rooster. It's a must eat if you go but definitely don't order it buy yourself. It can easily feed like 4 people.

The smoked Rooster Royale is an experience in itself. The presentation is something you need to see to believe with a flambé presentation at the table. The chicken skin is crispy and the meat is so juicy and flavorful. It's a must eat. I tried to attach a video of that Red Rooster presentation table-side, so hopefully that shows the experience. Again, this is a must eat. it was probably the 2nd most flavorful dish I ate.

For sides we got the Mac & Cheese, Succotash, and the Blackened broccoli. the Mac & Cheese was really good. it had a little kick to it as well. The Succotash and broccoli were decent but nothing to write home about. I can whole hardily recommend the Mac & Cheese though. One of our guests tried the Red Red Shrimp & Grits but she wasn't that happy with the dish because she didn't like the type of grits used in the dish (Anson Mills Rice Grits). We're all from the south and I think she was expecting more traditional grits but just kicked up a notch for fine dining. She said the shrimp were good though.

Overall we were all pleased with virtually everything we ate. The staff and server we had was outstanding. He even took a photo of the table for us. I would definitely go back again if I'm in the area. It is expensive but I think it's worth the experience at least once if you want to treat yourself or if it's for a special occasion. Stop reading and just make the...

They lied, ripped us off, and then were rude about it to finish it off. I saw they were open on Thanksgiving so DM’d them about reservations. They said they were full, but they had the Thanksgiving meal available for preorder and pickup. They said it feeds 4. It was a main course with some sides and a dessert. So I clicked the link they sent and ordered 2, which should have fed 8. Each was $95 so it was over $200 total. Well, as you may have guessed by the one star, it did not feed 8. That was a lie.

I showed up today at the pickup time on my order and nothing was ready. That would have been fine - I get that the restaurant biz is not a science. But it quickly became clear they hadn’t started our order and were having the kitchen start it just then. That’s when I began to suspect that what I ordered was not going to be for 8 people. We waited for 30 minutes and then they came out with 1 bag. 1 bag!! We asked them if this was everything and they assured us that it was. So we walked out and started looking through the bag. It looked like it was only food for one meal - for example there was only takeout box with the main course of rosemary turkey. So we went back and told the woman at the front. The woman, who appeared to be the manager or the owner, took the bag and then reappeared a few minutes later and told us, the chef says that’s everything.

I of course told her there was no way this was for 8 people. She said it was for 2 people, that I had only ordered 2 dinners. I told her about what they told me over Instagram. She didn’t care and had no answer. She just kept telling me I had only ordered two. I then said, well, this isn’t even for two. And she told me that the chef had combined everything into one container for each. So the one box of Mac and cheese was for two people. Given the size of the boxes, I was skeptical. So I opened the box for the main course in front of her and there was half of a breast and a wing. A wing! The part of the bird we all know has like two bites of meat. I looked at her, she looked at me. I incredulously asked, “This is a main course for two people?!” She said, “Yes.” I said, “For $95?!” To be honest, I don’t know what she replied to that because it was clear she didn’t care. I again told her about the message from insta, to which she again had no response.

At first, I was giving them the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe the person running their insta was confused. But after the interaction ended, I was sure it was a lie.

In sum, they lied to get us to order an extremely over-priced and medium-tasting meal. When we confronted them about it, they had nothing to say. And then the portions were tiny, even for a dinner for two people. See the pics. The cornbread that came with it was two bites each. Wtf? For, again, $95.

Avoid this place. There are better places to go that don’t need to lie to their customers and actually...

Red Rooster Overtown – A Whole Vibe You Won’t Forget

So, let me tell y’all how the Saturday before Mother’s Day turned into a full-blown celebration—Although my husband took me out on side family mother day 🤔😳… lol because my husband is smart enough to know that on actual Mother’s Day, restaurants are like clubs on New Year’s Eve: crowded, chaotic, and no fun. And where did we end up? None other than Red Rooster in Overtown, baby.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the parking lot: yes, you have to pay for parking. But listen—it’s Miami. If you’re shocked, you must be new here. Once we paid, parked, and made our way inside, the vibe instantly shifted. Red Rooster sits right in the heart of Overtown, one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods. Yes, it’s giving clutch-your-purse realness when you drive in, but the moment you step inside, it’s giving elegance, soul, and flavor. A full cultural reset.

My husband and I originally wanted to sit outside to recreate the same photos we took the first time we came here—back when they had just opened and served an oxtail so massive…. I mean thick and long( NO DIDDY) I’m still dreaming about it. But they told us they’re no longer sitting people outdoors tonight. Big bummer. The inside is stunning, don’t get me wrong, but I think they’re missing out by not keeping that option open. People were still showing up, and that outside seating area? Chef’s kiss.

Now let’s talk about the food.

We started off with the starter egg (deviled egg) and cornbread. The deviled egg? Eh—it didn’t hit the way I wanted. Needed a bit more flavor. The cornbread was decent, and the jam and honey butter on the side? Cute. Not life-changing, but definitely a solid start.

For the main course, I got the Overtown Catfish and my husband got the Oxtail. The catfish? Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. At first, I thought it needed more flavor, but once I paired it with that rice and plantain stew… YES. It made perfect sense. Flavorful, balanced, and intentional. My husband’s oxtail? Bay-beee. Falling off the bone, melt-in-your-mouth good. Savory and rich—the kind of dish that makes you close your eyes after the first bite.

Drinks? Of course. My husband ordered his go-to: Hennessy and Amaretto (he’s a simple man with consistent taste). I tried a sweet cocktail our waiter recommended—I wish I remembered his name because he was on point all night—but the drink wasn’t for me. I ended up switching to an Old Fashioned and never looked back. Classic and reliable.

But the real magic happened upstairs.

Yes, Red Rooster has an upstairs lounge—and on this night, it was giving Reggae Vibes. The DJ? LIT. My body was doing what it does and I had no complaints. Between the food, the drinks, the music, and my fine husband by my side? 10/10 night.

We stumbled out, full of soul and spirits, and already planning our next visit. Red Rooster, you...